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 U.S. FDA staff say Moderna did not meet all criteria for COVID-19
boosters
Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday
that Moderna Inc had not met all of the agency's criteria to support
use of booster doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, possibly because the
efficacy of the shot's first two doses has remained strong.
FDA staff said in documents that data for Moderna's vaccine showed
that a booster does increase protective antibodies, but the
difference in antibody levels before and after the shot was not wide
enough, particularly in those whose levels had remained high.
Data suggests mRNA booster dose generates stronger antibody response
after J&J shot - Axios
People who received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine will have a
stronger neutralizing antibody response if they get an mRNA shot as
the second dose, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a person who has
seen data collected by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH will present the mix-and-match data to the FDA panel on
Friday, Axios said.
J&J has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve
a shot of its own single-dose vaccine as the booster dose. The FDA's
advisers are set to consider the need on Friday. There were
limitations to the NIH data, according to the report. Neutralizing
antibodies only prevent the virus from entering cells and
replicating, and the report said it was unclear how long the
response would last.
South Korea launches panel to debate 'living with COVID-19'
South Korea established a panel on Wednesday to debate a strategy on
how to "live with COVID-19" in the long-term, as it seeks to phase
out coronavirus restrictions and reopen the economy as vaccination
levels rise.
Under the strategy, the government aims to relax coronavirus
restrictions for citizens who can prove they have been fully
vaccinated, while encouraging asymptomatic and mild COVID-19
patients aged below 70 to recover at home, the health ministry said.
The government will also focus on the number of hospitalisations and
deaths rather than new daily infections, and will consider not
publishing the latter on a daily basis, Yonhap news agency has
reported.
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 COVID-19 curbs in Sydney could
ease early
New South Wales could ease more restrictions in
Sydney a week earlier than planned on Oct. 18 as
Australia's most populous state races towards
its 80% double-dose vaccination target, the
government said on Wednesday.
The state is expected to hit the mark over the
weekend, beating forecasts, and officials
previously promised to relax more restrictions
on vaccinated residents on the first Monday
after reaching that milestone. Shops, pubs and
gyms can welcome more vaccinated customers when
inoculation reaches 80%. Masks will not be
required in offices and nightclubs can reopen
for seated drinking, while weddings can have
unlimited guests.
New York must allow religious exemptions to
vaccine mandate, judge rules
A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that New York
state cannot impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate
on healthcare workers without allowing their
employers to consider religious exemption
requests.
The ruling provides a test case as vaccine
mandate opponents gear up to fight plans by
President Joe Biden's administration to extend
COVID-19 inoculation requirements to tens of
millions of unvaccinated Americans.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh)
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